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Rott
"I am become the Son of Mud and Blood." — Rott, CC: 01/1/5,218 Hockrott the Hornman (often Rott, or Hock, born Crown Prince Kalth Relth on MK: 01/08/471 ; CC: 26/4/5,200 at Bottomjaw Castle) was the first hornman ever capable of flight, and a Canetol Come Again Claimant. Rott was, among many things: self-proclaimed nemesis of Landeles, the main love interest of Calthoss Sayerburn, the adopted brother of Billow Sayerburn, the son of the nameless woman, a shaky ally to both Gebel Snakepit, and Ayeson Garlcutter, student to Ross Fourthwalk, and succeeded by Vayess Halfsmith as the Hornman. Hockrott was born to Lila Relth, and Prince Kalth Viceses of Bottomjaw at the Pentagonal Pit surrounding the Shadowfinger. King Kalth Kelcheldes, having learned of his son's plans to father someone to murder him through his Eyes-&-Ears Spindlefingers, put a stop to them, cutting Lila's tongue out as to initiate her into the Order of Myklasi Knights, and feigning Rott's death by tossing a baby-sized rock into the Shadowfinger. Lila was just sixteen, and Viceses twenty-two, and were both traumatized by this event. Kelcheldes was too cowardly to kill a family member, and instead decided to abandon him in Flayeland where hornmen are abound. He smuggled his grandson to Runol while disguised as the Sojourner, leaving him with the hornmen Ozan, and Rolem. Rolem had previously been a tailor known to the Sojourner, and his wife Ozan, as luck would have it, was a green-eyed redhead, and a whore. The hornmen named him Relth in honor of Kalar Relth, Lila's step-grandfather. Seven years later, the Rape of Runol happened. Billow, in a rage, killed nearly his entire family on this Earth, and fled, being led to that Earth by Topaz the Fogman. Topaz even rowed him from Haunted Isle to Flayeland. Billow went on to carry out the massacre. He believed his work done, but then stumbled upon Relth. In a dark cave, his parents dead, his curse clearly visible, he reminded Billow of Calthoss, and the murderer decided to spare him, raising him as a brother from then on. He renamed Relth Rott when he learned what the fate of Kalar Relth was, not knowing that the fate of Hockrott the Sailor was just as bad if not worse (Kalar Relth was thrown into the Shadowfinger, Hockrott the Sailor was thrown into a snakepit, and Rott was thrown into Billow's Sea). He grew up in northeastern Zul, just a five-minute walk from Mount Lu, which itself is a five-minute walk from Calum. Billow, meanwhile, would go on to become the murderer known as the Green Man. Appearance: Rott was born a hornman. As such, he has two brittle black horns above his temples (resembling those of pronghorn), two pink, paper-thin flightless wings on the undersides of his arms, pointed twitchy ears instead of normal ears, brittle black claws instead of fingernails, black lyzard-like talons instead of toenails, dull fangs instead of canine teeth, and nine fox tails at the base of his spine. Like all hornmen, his horns were dull and brittle, painful to the touch, and even a spot of sexual weakness. His pointed ears were no better at hearing than a normal human's ears. His claws, and talons were brittle, too, and his fangs only served to get in the way when he ate. His only hornman feature with any practical purpose was the nine tails, which could be used like fingers. Rott had red hair (which darkened to almost brown at its roots and edges), like his mother, and his grandfather Rak the Rapist (also known as the Gardener, a Vraeki living in Bottomjaw Castle), although it had a neater, healthier look that resembled his father's ash-blond hair. He parted it to the sides, and swept it left and back, away from his face. His eyes were bright green, like the eyes of his adoptive mother Ozan, his father Viceses, and both of his grandmothers the Green Lady, and Vee Relth. Rott's green eyes have on many occasions been called "cute." Like all other members of Anasia's Race, his eyes were folded. His skin was pale just like all of his family members, except his adoptive brother Billow who was a half-Garlenner, half-Sefenlander bastard of Halos Sayerburn. It was also covered in freckles, something he inherited from his mother, and that she inherited from Rak. He inherited from his father a mole on the left side of his face between his jaw, and the corner of his lip, as well as his deep widow's peak. Another feature he inherited from his father was the shape of his body; unlike Viceses, however, he did not receive the musculature of the Green Lady's ancestors, but rather her feminine figure. He was often teased by the likes of Makal, Rahal, Vrayek, Landeles, and later Calthoss for being a "girly boy." His body was hairless, and slim, something he inherited from his mother. He was 175 centimeters tall, and weighed 64 kilograms. Hockrott used to dress in the garbs that the Zulic chieftains would have older women make once a month. These were pale green to white. Later on, after the Sack of Calum, and the Invasion of Flayeland had begun, he borrowed armor from his (unknown to him) mother. A deadman's dark-grey undersuit loosely fit him, while his mother's spare gauntlets, boots, and helmet snugly fit him. He wore this outfit during the escape from Flayeland, the trip to Haunted Isle, and the ordeal at the Temple of Ninety-Ninehalls. He lost his helmet as he and Landeles crossed a tightrope above a pit of desertkings; Landeles shot a bolt of lightning at it, causing it to fall, and distract the creatures, allowing them to jump off the tightrope and make a run for the other side of the pit. Landeles justified his actions by saying the helmet was "rusty, anyway." He wore the gauntlets, and boots throughout the Temple of Ninety-Ninehalls, crossing the lychgate at its end wearing the bronze armor, unwittingly turning it into shadow-bronze, which can be used to tear open new lychgates. His gauntlets, and boots became red after arriving on this Earth. Calthoss thought the color suited him, and had her servants custom-make a red slayers' outfit for him, and a lavender one for Landeles. This uniform is composed of a black jacket (usually kept open by Rott) with red buttons on it, a brown undershirt, red shoulder pads, and a pair of brown nobleman's pants. Personality: Rott is hungry for knowledge - because knowledge is power. He lusts for power, attention, and to be important. He was none of those things earlier in life. He was some weak peasant boy that no one would spare a passing glance to. Then, all of a sudden, he became like a God. History: The loathed child used his most powerful goodlord, Decayron, to keep an eye on the largest city of that Earth, Bottomjaw Castle, and promote his interests there. Decayron, under the name Spindlefingers reported to the loathed child about the death of Kalar Relth, noting how visibly shaken the Prince looked after his father executed the goodlord. The loathed child instructed Decayron to cultivate the Prince's emotions, turning sadness into anger, and fear into hate. The Prince grew to despise his father, and to worship the memory of Kalar Relth. Decayron was instructed to find a most-loathsome man, and hire him to rape Kalar Relth's wife. Lila was born soon after. Decayron was finally instructed to get the two to meet each other, but he was sad to say that they had already been introduced to each other by String, the God of Bottomjaw Castle. Walak planted some ideas into Viceses' head prior to his meeting Lila, that he was not to kill his father, and that his son would. This is because Walak's goal was never to kill Kelcheldes, but always to create a human whose magickal potential was truly unfathomable. Despite himself, Viceses allowed himself to fall in love with Lila, and his behavior was affected by it. Kelcheldes discovered the relationship that Viceses had with Lila, and was able to get him to admit its cause: "I hate you but I am no fatherkiller. Lila and I were never going to have a son; it was always going to be a thing - a weapon that would have killed you." Kelcheldes allowed Lila to live, and give birth to the child. He cut off Lila's tongue, forcing her to join the Order of Myklasi Knights, taking her child away from her. Kelcheldes decided that Flayeland, where hornmen are especially common, would be a good place to abandon the baby on. King Kalth Kelcheldes had disguised himself as man named the Soujourner during his Trial of Nineyears, working as a tailor in the Rainland. He left Rott in the care of a former fellow tailor, Rolem. Rolem was black-haired, tan, and had thin slate-eyes. He dressed simply, but was a dangerous warrior. Ozan, his wife, had been a whore at Za Lych, where the Sojourner had met them. Ozan was red-haired, green-eyed, and freckled. They were both hornmen. They were the only two people aware of the Sojourner's true identity, and he had allowed them to live so long as they fled to Flayeland, and they did. He found them at Runol, the most distant Flayelandic village to Rainland City, and the southernmost settlement on that Earth. He forced them to raise the child. They humorously decided to name him Relth, after their old friend, who died at the hands of Kelcheldes, figuring it was a good name after hearing the baby's death had been faked at the Shadowfinger when the King tossed a rock into it instead. For seven years, Relth grew up at Runol. It was by the sea, and surrounded by mountains on all other sides. Its mountains were full of caves, and these caves were the homes people lived in. Relth grew up in a small cave. He was fed well-enough. Rolem did not hate him, but also did not care for him. Ozan fed him, and sometimes entertained his childish needs, but was ultimately not a real mother. Relth grew very distant to his parents, and quickly latched onto any and all attention. Which only came in the form of stray dogs. An old mutt became his only friend. He named him Cayar, meaning "holy rock." Relth explored the caves with his dog, went swimming, fishing, and begging with him, and even took the mutt home when his parents went to another town, or were at some other part of the village. This was what happened when Runol was ruined. His parents never came in, only Billow. Billow, who had already cleaned up, decided to spare Relth because the boy reminded him of his sister Calthoss. Billow told Relth that somebody had killed everyone in his village, and that they needed to leave. Cayar immediately trusted Billow, and Relth took his lead. Billow had spent an hour fighting Rolem, who had been an excellent fighter despite his advanced age, and whose last word was "Relth..." Hockrott, and Billow arrived in Zul less than two months after the Rape of Runol. Hockrott learned that Billow was from some far-off country called Crahia, supposedly on the other side of the world. Billow's dark skin seemed to support this claim, as the fareasterners of that Earth looked quite similar. At some point in his life, Rott became aware that *Billow* likely carried out the Rape of Runol, and was likely responsible for the wave of murders going on in Zul, and its neighboring tent-towns. Rott found it in his heart to forgive his brother, however, and eventually said goodbye to that life when Cayar succumbed to cancer three years ago. Luckily for Rott, he had already made friends among the Zulics: Billow, Makal, the Iggrubman, Rahal, Manth, Vrayek, Rauz, Land of Eles, and Chief Makaloz all called him "friend." Rott, despite having friends, and developing a rebellious personality, became parasitic, always relying on Billow to get him out of trouble. Rott grew in the shadow of his brother, who was more intelligent, more powerful, more handsome, and more friendly than him. However, he was not more well-respected. The only people less well-liked than hornmen in tent towns are those who house them. They are generally mocked, said to have some perverse obsession with them; Billow's nickname was "the Brotherfucker." Billow loves Rott because the kid reminds him of Calthoss. The look he gave him in the cave reminded him of the look Calthoss gave him back on this Earth. Rott, like many other little kids (he was seven when Billow met him), was super curious and inquisitive. Rott became familiar with the basics of the languages that Billow knew, principally the Crahish dialect of Lobott. He can even speak it, albeit with an accent. He also learned the history of Crahia (however, Billow had him under the impression that Crahia was a country just south of the Elesian Kingdom in the Great West of the Rainland Isle, and *not* on a totally different world), as well as some Lobott and Sefenlander history. He was, of course, never told anything about the Ayelands. Despite all the good Billow did for Rott, the boy still had a terrible childhood, and suspected strongly that his brother was a brutal psychopath; Rott developed a strange obsession and complex towards Billow, which he never allowed to see the light of day. Rott played tag with the other Zulic hornchildren, and rejects living in Zul for much of his childhood. He made trouble and went into Calum to steal and beg. He got into fights that Billow had to save him from, or patch him up for (usually, this ended in the deaths of neighborhood bullies). He became good friends with Makal, a redhead with green eyes, horns, and wings. Billow inherently distrusted the boy, suspecting that he planned on using Rott as a doppelganger for his little shenanigans. Makal actually quite liked Billow, seeing his strength as admirable, and later on gained his trust by teaching Rott how to fight; once Rott became Makal's equal in fighting, Makal went to Billow, hoping he would teach them how to improve their fighting skills. Makal went on to pose as Rott when he learned of Viceses' true intentions, only being found out once Prince Pyett of Seylenn took him and thousands of other prisoners to this Earth. Billow, meanwhile, quietly indulged his violent streak, acting as a vigilante in Zul. Killing minor criminals, slitting the throats of rapists, and thieves, and threatening figures like King Caye Cull Worr, as well as some of the more unsavory chieftains of Zul. However, he became good friends with Chief Makaloz, Makal's uncle, and a man looking to take Zul out of the mud and blood, and into the light. Makaloz was honest, simple, and had a glib tongue. He liked making sarcastic remarks, he liked joking around, and he liked arguing his ass off with Calum's King, and the King's representatives. A *Myklatzu* murdered him, shoving a Zahal into his gut. Makaloz was the only chieftain that Rott trusted. Invasion of Flayeland: During the Sack of Calum, Rott awoke from a strange dream. It was the middle of the night. He chose to go on a small walk to the top of Mount Lu to tire himself out before going back to sleep. Once atop the mountain he saw on Calum's Bay of Blue the Black Flag of Bottomjaw, an army of Myklasi Knights, and his death if he did not warn Chief Makaloz, and the other chieftains. Rott warned the chieftains, Landeles, and Billow about the Sacking. Rott, Landeles, and Billow returned to Billow's Tent, making a quick plan of escape, wherein Billow decided that now was the time to escape that Earth after spotting a black star in the south. The three were ambushed by a group of Myklasi Knights, led by the nameless woman. Calum had been chosen purposefully, as Viceses' spies had reports of a silver-haired man living in Zul who had risen to power. This was Makaloz, not Landeles, but Viceses believed it was the Southern Sage, and hoped that the nameless woman could kill him. Myklasi Knights heading the battle on the Calum front got to Chief Makaloz, and brutally murdered him in front of his family, then killed them all, aside from Makal, who under the orders of Viceses, was imprisoned along with all the other hornmen living in Zul and Calum. Their journey takes them to the southern coast of Flaye, where they take two abandoned dinghies to Haunted Isle. It's a fairly long journey, and they stop on a few isles on the way there. Zul is a tent-town outside of Calum, a large town on Flaye, which is a peninsula off of Rainland, the largest continent on that Earth, which has a sun that rises in the west, and two moons that rise in the east. Temple of Ninety-Ninehalls: The main party arrived on Haunted Isle about two days after setting off from Bottomjaw, the fires in the distance never quite disappearing. They arrived at sunrise. Billow telling them their stay would not be permanent, and they wondered what he meant by that. Billow attempted to lie, saying a community of other foreigners like him lived beneath the temple.They enter the temple, and after trials, especially one where Rott's trust of Landeles is diminished greatly, they enter the other side of Topaz's Lychgate. This Earth: On 07/06/5217, Rott and Landeles stepped out of Topaz's Lychgate in a clearing of deadwood due northeast of Calthoss Cave. After being kidnapped that date, on 07/15/5217, Calthoss will arrive at her home with Rott, and Landeles, preparing to question them there. Lychgates are structured in such a way that gravity reverses after entering one. In free fall, Rott begins to fly. He swoops, dives, and rises after his escape. Shadowed by a black-yet-bright star, Topaz's lychgate, and a setting sun, Rott makes history as the only hornman to ever fly. He can fly, because all hornmen *can* fly, physically, it's just that the Shine imposes limits on them not to, but on a worldly basis, making a hornman that crosses worlds, Rott, an anomaly. Both Calthoss and Landeles witness Rott fly for the first time, Cal from a distance, and Landeles from Topaz's crosses. Landeles describes what a wooly rhinoceros is to Rott shortly after his first flight. Rott, Landeles, and Cal leave Cal's Cave for Balful and Vilfol. Rott learns more about the Sayerburn Dukes from Balfulmen. The Dogfight: Rott fights with a halberd Red Hot Steel, acquiring it from the Kaathi Kross Ristt had tortured him on. Soon after, his wings are nearly destroyed, and his left horn shatters, infuriating him, causing him to attempt to fight Landeles, whom he loses to badly. He attempts to fight him because he (correctly) suspects that Landleles sacrificed his wings to take control of the Crow's Tallman. The Battle of Wolves was made ever the more pivotal because Landeles opened a lychgate outside of the Crow's Nest, as well as his sacrifice contributing towards the Crow's Tallman, who crushed Ristt's body and threw the head of a nameless god across the plateau of the Crow. The Crow's Tallman is a King that kills the King-that-Kills-Kings. Trial of Nineyears: During Rott's trial of nineyears, Rott is put into a coma, which involves the Shadow kidnapping his consciousness, and taking him up to the Psychopomp Seat. During this, only a short amount of time passes between the group leaving the Crow’s Nest and heading to Lobtonne. Spliced in here should be flashbacks and reviews on all the main character’s histories (the main nine, mostly), along with Rott's trial, and Landeles exploring his godly powers more in the Badlands. Rott first awakes within the Temple of Ninety-Ninehalls, sleeping in a bed of broken bones, and ash in front of Hall Ninety-Four. He walks in, opening a great black abyss. He walks in, sees the great iron sphere that is the world, and freaks out. Turning around, he will see the Psychopomp Seat. It’s a carbon copy of the Lycaonthrone at Billow's Tower. Surrounding it is a great courtroom, and great chain pillars which extend infinitely into the sky. Sat there is Calthoss' avatar, Hock, Rott with slate eyes. Hock trains Rott in martial ways, teaches him philosophy, and supposedly enlightens him. He actually sets him back a ways, teaching him berserker fighting methods, fighting like a butcher or hunter, not a warrior. He teaches him incredibly fucked up things, strong > weak, degrading Rott's moral character, and further allowing him to sink into evil. Rott, although supposedly "godly" now, has actually become worse in every respect, which would be "fine," I guess, if he still had wings. Inexplicably, Rott gains his wings within the Seat of the Psychopomp, but loses them upon awakening from the coma. Hock continues to haunt Rott's dream, sending him cryptic messages, and coming to him in the forms of His servants, namely Topaz. This strikes Rott with a great sense of terror upon meeting Topaz, who is disguised as an old woman in Elkett’s tower. Elkett’s tower is where the head of the nameless god is taken, the one that Landeles struck down with lightning, supposedly because "lightning is a spear, and the crow is food. Last Day of Lobtonne: Rott reminisces at points about his life before the Sack of Calum. Zunughur Tristhdekes nearly kills Rott during the Last Day of Lobtonne. The Seasnake and Goodlord of the Congruent, Kazlor Eres, had planned for a great magickal event to happen at Lobtonne on New Year's Day, his penultimate goal being to force the Shine into Rott, using him as a vessel for the god. This does happen, and Rott takes the form of a Telfish Tallman, gigantic, pale and grey and stony, with the absence of light for a face, and a maw full of teeth like Tristh's. Prior to this, he'd wished for a Far Bomb, had created a lychgate, and had spent his first day of the Wet Season in the chaotic remains of Lobtonne. Relationships'':'' Ginos means to kill Rott. So do Belo Unchained and the GREY. GREY believes Rott to be the reason for the ascension of the BLACK in the Face, but also believes him to be the Rooster Man. Belo Unchained doesn’t actually want to kill Rott, he only wants to be closer to Ayeson Garlcutter, a man he sees as furthering the cause of slavery. Lila becomes susceptible to prophecy, mostly because she wants to protect Rott. The nameless woman's relationships with the other characters vary in closeness, specific feelings, and importance. She loves Rott, not because he has a good personality, is charming, or cute; but because she sees him as an extension of herself, mixed with what she felt for Viceses. He is her son after all. The Call of Blood is strong among hornmen. Rott feels nothing for her, seeing her at most as the Wench who saved his brother's life. This is a bad thing, as Rott becomes more, and more aware that he HATES Billow. The woman loves Landeles, as his personality is eerily similar to Viceses': sly, and cunning, and joking, and he has his same cold, blue eyes. Lila dreams of Rott and Ayeson combined, and Rott's face melting. Cal has a similar dream, of this same beast raping her. Lila chooses Rott over Viceses. Ayeson decides that Rott must die for the continuation of the Song of Creation to be continued. He commands Geb to do it, but Geb does not. Landeles tries to comfort Rott at some points, awkwardly of course. I'm better than they all say, right?; - Rott - Billow is somebody with a stranger question: "What kind of person am I? His personality is mostly a farce, he acts prideful and honorably, but is in reality just as blood-thirsty and cruel as his sister. Which personality to choose becomes central to his character. He became soft; because he felt pity towards Rott, a vile creature dealt the worst card in life. Billow only feels pity because he sees himself in Rott. A bastard, born of rape, blood of Garlenn, with a dead family, and in another world. Of course. back on this Earth, he begins to feel differently. Rott's vile nature soon becomes apparent to him, and in sync, he becomes worse and worse, leeching off of the nameless woman. Calthoss develops a lot, eventually becoming able to kill Rott. Gebel doesn't know whether or not he wants Rott to live. Combat: Rott fights with a halberd Red Hot Steel, acquiring it from the Kaathi Kross Ristt had tortured him on. Soon after, his wings are nearly destroyed, and his left horn shatters, infuriating him, causing him to attempt to fight Landeles' whom he loses to, badly. He attempts to fight him because he (correctly) suspects that Landleles sacrificed his wings to take control of the Crow's Tallman. Red Hot Steel riggers intense emotions in those around it. These emotions are meant to reach a zenith, wherein the future wielder is full of only raw animalistic instincts. When Rott reached this point, he was angry because his wings had been nearly burnt away, his left horn had shattered, and he had been badly shocked by lightning. He was so angry that he saw red, was badly burnt and hot, and he was looking for steel so he could pay back whoever did this to him. He took up the halberd. Red Rainish Runes magickally inscribed these words along the halberd's cheek. Before this, Red Hot Steel had belonged to King-that-Kills-Kings Ristt Blot, who himself had stolen it from the Crahish branch of House Messoloriha, the ruling house of Crahia up to thirty years ago. The branch of House Messoloriha had it since the times of Queen Sulenn I Messoloriha, and Emperor Messink Messon before that, who himself acquired it from the Slayers' Guild. The Slayers' Guild found it in a lagoon before then. Gallery: Creation of Mud and Blood.jpg|''Creation of Mud and Blood'' Category:Main Nine Category:Characters Category:Nameless children Category:Hornmen Category:Tallmen